House committee discusses DEI impact on medical school standards
A House committee is looking into how DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies affect medical school admissions and patient care guidelines. Lawmakers are probing the deans of prominent medical schools about allegations from the Justice Department claiming that UCLA provided illegal preferential treatment to Black and Hispanic applicants.
The Justice Department has also launched an inquiry into Harvard University regarding foreign donations that may have unfairly favored international students, particularly from China, over American students.
On Monday, the department announced that concerns were raised about Harvard’s foreign funding disclosures, suggesting that some donors might have imposed nationality-based restrictions on financial aid. They are examining whether these practices breach Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin in federally funded programs.
“Every American student should have an equal chance at scholarships, grants, and other financial assistance,” stated Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “Schools cannot accept federal funds and then take money from foreign sources to provide aid that intentionally leaves out American citizens. That’s against the law, and we will put a stop to it wherever we find it,” she added.
The Justice Department has indicated that certain China-based donors directed Harvard to allocate donations for aid programs benefiting specific countries. They assert that adhering to these restrictions could put students from other nationalities, including Americans, at a disadvantage.
Officials stressed that this investigation is still ongoing, and nothing has been concluded as yet. They have not disclosed which scholarship funds or donors are part of this inquiry.
Harvard has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that it complies with laws regarding endowment reporting and does not unlawfully discriminate in financial aid distribution, as per Title VI obligations.
Federal regulations require universities to report foreign gifts and contracts exceeding $250,000. The Justice Department mentioned a Civil Rights Office review found that Harvard disclosed nearly $4.5 billion in foreign funding, with over $630 million coming from China, marking it as the largest source of foreign financial support.
While universities often provide institutional aid to international students, federal grants and other forms of government assistance are generally limited to eligible U.S. students. Harvard also mixes private scholarship and employment funds to support its international students.
Some private donations are targeted for students from specific nations. Notably, in 2014, SOHO China co-founders donated $15 million aimed at supporting Chinese students within the university. The Justice Department hasn’t clarified if this gift is part of the investigation.
This inquiry contributes to an ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and Harvard, where federal authorities are examining allegations of anti-Semitism, admissions practices, and treatment of foreign students.
A federal judge had previously intervened to prevent the government from withdrawing substantial research funding from Harvard amid ongoing litigation.
